Switch for trolley rails



Sept. 10, 1946. EWNSANT 2,407,620

SWITCH FOR TROLLEY RAILS Filed June 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Sept. 10, 1946. e. F. VINSANT SWITCH FOR TROLLEY RAILS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1944 firazawllelfh' 'wazzi Patented Sept. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH FOR TROLLEY RAILS Granville Franklin Vinsant, Fort Worth, Tex., as-

signor to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chi-' cago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 16, 1944, Serial No. 540,619

1 Claim.

the hindquarter down along the track, it is someplaces it on a cutting table. This operation,

aside from the expenditure of time to permit the trolley carrying the hindquarter to travel through the track and switch before entering the declining rail, required the attention and efforts of an operator to remove the trolley carrying the hindquarter along the track and through the switch.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention i to provide a switch which will automatically transfer the trolley to a lower level track.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a switch which will automatically turn the trolley carrying a hindquarter through 180 while bringing it in line for transfer to a lower level track.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic transfer switch which is simple and extremely expeditious in operation, and easy to install.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the operation of the transfer switch according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the transfer switch according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a plan View showing the operation of the transfer switch according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the adjustable stop member shown in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the automatic switch according to the present invention comprises a stationary member or outer shell I0, Figure 2, having a cup shaped portion II at its upper end. Mounted upon the base of the'cup shaped portion adjacent the side wall thereof is a stop member l2, Figure 4, which is fixedly secured thereto b means of bolts l3. Depending from the bottom of the wall of the shell Id at a point substantially diametrically opposite to that of the mounting of the stop member i2 is a stop Id, Figure 2, the stop I 4 bein fixedly secured thereto by means of a bolt l5. In the portion of the wall of the shell 10 from which the sto l4 depends there is provided a threaded opening l6 through which extends in threaded engagement a threaded bolt 11.

Concentrically mounted within the. shell I0 is a movable member or sleeve I8 having a flange to about its upper end, said flange in the portion adjacent the stop member l2 being provided with an arcuate slot 23, Figure 4, for the reception therein of the said stop member l2. As shown in this figure, the slot is of a size somewhat larger than the stop member 12, this being for the purpose to be subsequently described. Extending around the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve I8 is a spiral shaped slot 2| Figure 2, in which rides a roller 22 carried by the inner end of the threaded bolt ll. Disposed within the sleeve I8 is a spring 23, the upper end of which carries a hook 24 engaging an eye 25 projecting from a supporting plate 26 fixedly secured to the rafters or ceiling of a building. vThe lower end of the spring is secured to the sleeve I 8 by means of the pin 21.

Attached to the solid bottom of the sleeve 18, Figure 2, by means of bolts 28 is a stop or guard 29. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the guard 29 includes a, cylindrical top wall 30 and a side wall or skirt 3| in the form of a semi-circle depending therefrom. Fixedly mounted upon and projecting upwardly from the top wall 30 is an abutment 3|, Figures 2 and 5, which is provided with an inclined threaded opening 32. Extending through the opening 32 and in threaded engagement therewith is a threaded bolt 33. Disposed upon the wall 30 at a point adjacent the abutment 3| is a stop member 34, Figure 5, of arcuate shape, secured thereto by means of bolts 35. As shown in Figure 6, the stop member 34 is provided with an arcuate slot 36, of a size such as to permit it to be moved within reupturned end 38 in which is supported a trolley rail 39 for the reception of a trolle 40, Figure 1. The guard or stop 29 cooperates with the rail 39 to permit passage of a trolley onto or ofi of the rail from one end of the rail only.-

As will appear more fully below, the stop 29 and the rail 39 rotate together as a unit.

In operation of the switch above described, the trolley 40, Figure l, carrying the hind of beef upon leaving the track rail 4| moves on to the trolley rail 39 carried by the hanger 31. As soon as the trolley 50 has moved on to the trolley rail of the hanger, the weight of the hind of beef carried by the trolley overcomes the tensional stress of the spring 23 and, causes the sleeve It to moverapidly downwardly in the shell It. In its downward movement the sleeve 58 follows a spiral path by virtue of the slot 2! in the sleeve riding about the stationary roller 22 carried by the threaded bolt ll. This spiral movement of the sleeve I8 downwardly continues until an end wall of the .arcuate slot 20 in the flange l i? of the sleeve engages the fixed stop member i2, whereupon such spiral movement is arrested or stopped. With the downward spiral movement of the sleeve l8, the guard 29, rail 39, and trolley 29 rotate therewith. The stop i2 is set to prevent further turning of sleeve l8 when rail 39 has dropped to the lower level of track 4| with said one end of rail 39 in alignment with the lower level of track 4| whereupon the trolley 49 may be moved on to the lower level of track rail 4 l.

With the release of the trolley it from the of the sleeve continues until the free end of the adjustable stop member 34 contacts with the stop 14 carried by the end of the shell H], whereupon such upward movement is arrested or stopped. or course, withthe movement of the sleeve upwardly the stop or guard 29 and rail 39 likewise rotate. After the tensional stress of the spring has caused the sleeve to move upwardly into contact with the stop M, the sleeve will have rotated sufiiciently to bring the guard or stop 29 to return to its uppermost position shown in Figure 1, where it is open to the higher level of track 41 so that an incoming trolley can roll onto trolley rail 39 on to the lower level track rail a the spring 23 acts to cause the sleeve ii to be moved rapidly upwardly in the shell iii. In its upward movement the sleeve follows a spiral path reverse to that in its downward movement by virtue of the slot 2! in the sleeve riding about the stationary roller 22. As the sleeve moves up wardly the arcuate slot it) of the flange l9 of the sleeve moves out or" cooperative relation with the stop member [2. This spiral movement upwardly rail 39 to be lowered as explained above.

It is to be noted that the sleeve in its downward course of travel is limited by the stop member l2 to a rotative movement of while its upward course of travel is likewise restricted by the stop M to a rotative movement of 180,although the spiral shaped slot 2i extends all around the sleeve.

Having fully described the invention, what 1' urging and mounting means normally holding,

said segment in communication with said inleading track but being movable to said lower position to place said segment in communication with said outleadingtrack when the lifting action of said urging means has been overcome as when a trolley loaded with a meat cut is run onto the segment; and means to efiect a predetermined degree of rotation of said mounting means as the segment moves between its upper and lower positions so that said trolleys carrying the meat cuts which trolleys are in turn carried on said segment, are turned through said degree of rotation while simultaneously being lowered on said segment from the inleading rail to the outleading rail.

GRANVILLE FRANKLIN VINSANT. 

